This invention relates generally to apparatus for slicing food articles, particularly baked goods such as bagels, doughnuts and the like, and is particularly adapted for slicing bagels. A number of machines and devices for slicing bagels have been proposed in the prior art. These generally comprise holding jigs or receptacles into which the bagel is placed to hold it during a conventional knife cutting operation. A well documented type of bagel holder includes a pair of opposed slots into which is inserted a cutting instrument with a serrated edge, which is moved back and forth with a to-and-fro sawing action to slice the bagel while it is held by the receptacle. In some cases, the receptacle includes multiple opposed slots for making multiple slices. Other types of apparatus include a knife blade attached to the housing to facilitate the sawing action, and sometimes provision is made for also rotating the bagel to facilitate slicing. Because of the movement of the bagel to and fro due to the sawing action, it may be necessary to include tapered walls or moveable side doors to hold the bagel to prevent damage to it while being sliced. The use of a separate knife to slice the bagel is not always convenient and presents the possibility of injury from the knife blade. Also, in commercial operations such as restaurants, speed, safety, cleanliness and uniform bagel slicing are all requisites. Another known type of bagel slicer pushes a bagel past fixed blades and is designed for horizontal use where ample counter space and a counter edge are available.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for slicing food articles, particularly baked goods in a uniform, quick and safe manner.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bagel slicer using a minimum of space which facilitates the slicing operation without damage to the bagel.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bagel slicer which is efficient, quick, clean and safe.